Biography
Ryan Carraher (b.1993) is an award-winning contemporary/experimental composer, jazz guitarist, improviser, studio musician, producer and educator based in Seattle, WA. His recent compositions experiment with the construction of deliberate psychophysical impossibilities; tasks which physically cannot be perceived and “faithfully” executed. These situations can inspire a break down between score/sounding-result, perceptual overwhelm (both in the performer and the auditor), breakdown of learned habits, entranced lull, superfluity, stunted spectacle and multi-centric, intermodal sensory dissonances.
He holds a degree in guitar performance from Berklee College of Music (Summa Cum Laude) where he was awarded the Berklee Guitar Department Achievement Award and a MA in Composition from Tufts University. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at University of Washington.
As a contemporary composer, he has been named the Eastern division winner and national finalist of the MTNA composition competition for both the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. His work has also received a merit award from the Tribeca composition competition, selection as national finalist in the Flute New Music Consortium Composition Competition and been workshopped by members of Ensemble Intercontemporain [MANIFESTE (2018) IRCAM (Paris-Fr.)]. He has had U.S/International premieres/commissions from ECCE Ensemble (Etchings Festival-Auvillar, Fr.), Ensemble x.y, Transient Canvas, Iwona Glinka, Orlando Cela, Erin Rogers (New Music on the Point), POPEBAMA, Peridot Duo, Rose Hegele, Philipp Stäudlin, Anna Griffis, Emmanuel Feldman, Mariel Roberts (Wet Ink/Mivos Quartet), Giorgos Panagiotidis (VIPA), John McDonald and more.
He has studied composition with Alla Cohen, John McDonald, Stratis Minakakis, Stefano Gervasoni, Erin Gee, Philippe Hurel and John Aylward.
As a jazz composer/guitarist, Ryan has released numerous albums to critical acclaim. His 2016 debut release Vocturnal was named to the All About Jazz "Best of 2016 list". In 2018, he released his sophomore record Obscure Sorrows.